Our page gives you a tour of the best laptop under 500. If you are searching for a laptop just enough to overcome your daily tasks and handle light gaming, then you are on the right spot.
This is the only budget in which you don't have to compromise on anything and have the chance to achieve the best results concerning aesthetics and other specifications for a daily task laptop. You don't need a high budget to buy this kind of laptop. Yes, that's right! You can get your dream laptop for only $500.
Best Laptop Under 500
In this article, we provide you a combination of best budget laptops and excellent performing laptops. To choose the best laptop, one must know what to look for according to their needs. If you are looking for a well-performing laptop for all your daily usage, then you should consider the Processor type, RAM, and SSD storage amount. In addition to these qualities, if a device has a lightweight and long battery life, then it becomes one of the best laptop under 500 for college and work during traveling purposes.
However, many users might not need a high-performance laptop. They may find some excellent choices in our guide to the Best laptop under 300. These laptops might not have high performance but certainly, work well for writers.
We have broken down every aspect of buying a laptop under $500 in detail. We have discussed two major brands, Chromebook and Windows laptops. Their comparison profile for both brands is pretty helpful. Read on for our article on Chromebook and windows laptops under $500 here.
Best choices for laptops, according to different needs, are listed below:
| Catagory | Laptop name | Reviews |
| $500 laptops for college students | HP Pavilion 15t | 4.5 |
| Under 500 best travel laptops | Lenovo Flex 5 | 6 |
| $500 2 in 1 laptop | Lenovo IdeaPad 3 | 4.5 |
| under $500 best HP laptop | HP 14 | 4.3 |
Best laptops for college students under 500
It is challenging for college students to decide what features they need in their laptops. In this section, we have listed those devices which are perfect for every purpose. Whether you require a computer to run high-end software for assignments or do some documentation, the laptops listed below are an ideal match. These devices can help you complete your college tasks while being portable and low in budget.
Tip:
You can get really good options for gaming. Most of the laptops listed below have either Intel i3 or i5 core processor and 8GB RAM. The best gaming laptops under this range have an intel UHD graphics card, which is quite enough to let you play old games. You can find more information about gaming laptops, especially for people on a tight budget on Best Gaming Laptop Under 500. This page gives a precise list of top-rated gaming laptops.
- ASUS Vivobook F510UA
- Asus Chromebook Flip C434
- HP Pavilion 15t
- Microsoft Surface Go 2
- HP 17-X114dx
- Acer Swift 3
- Lenovo Chromebook Duet
- Microsoft Surface Pro 7
- Acer Aspire 5
- Lenovo Idea pad S340
Best 2 in 1 laptops under 500
Need a portable laptop that converts into a tablet? Then this section is created just for you. Some of the convertible laptops listed below are lightweight, which makes it the best option for travelers. Some of the best convertible laptops under 500 are listed below:
- Acer Chromebook R11
- HP Chromebook 14
- Microsoft Surface Go
- Acer Switch 3
- Dell Inspiron Chromebook 11 2-in-1
- Acer Chromebook Spin 15
Best travel laptops under 500
We have picked the best laptops for travelers. An excellent portable laptop should be light in weight, have long battery life, and perform well while multitasking. The laptops listed below are lightweight and have a high performance.
- Acer Aspire E 15
- Lenovo Flex 5
- Dell Inspiron 3580
- HP Pavilion 15t laptop
- Lenovo Ideapad s340 14″
- Dell Inspiron 3000 17 inch laptop
Best HP laptops under 500
We have collected some of the best HP laptops for HP fans. Some are high-performance laptops, whereas some are cheap and portable. You can find the best options below.
- HP Stream 14
- HP Chromebook x2
- HP Chromebook 15
- HP Pavilion x360 Laptop
- HP Laptop - 15t
According to our research, this budget is the most common one, and many reputable companies design their product according to this price range. You can get the sleekest possible, light in weight, and the most extensive possible range of up to date hardware in a laptop under this budget. There is an array of different laptops with different qualities. Still, the best ones and their specifications are listed below.
1. Acer Aspire 5
Specification chart for Acer Aspire 5
| Processor, RAM | AMD Ryzen 3 3350U Dual-Core, 4GB |
| Graphics | AMD Radeon Vega 6 |
| Storage | 128GB SSD |
| Display | 15.6-inch, 1080p |
| Weight | 3.76 pounds |
| Battery life | Up to 8 hours |
| Operating system | Windows 10 in S Mode |
Acer aspire 5 is one of the top rated laptops according to customers because of its latest processor and 1080p display. It has a crystal clear display and allows the user to have a clear view at every angle. Not just display, easy switching between the tabs and fast response is also a significant advantage for this device. Windows 10 also works smoothly in combination with the AMD Ryzen processor.
Moreover, its long battery life nails the overall specs in comparison to other laptops. With this device, you have a long standby time to back up your work. It has all kinds of ports that you may need for data transfer. With an inbuilt 128GB memory, the device is unique as this helps it to open Apps quickly and helps for a better function of the device.
Overall it is the best laptop for the usual office and school work. It is also an excellent choice for gamers on a tight budget. The AMD Radeon mobile graphics card allows it to become one of the best gaming laptops under $1000. Although one cannot expect to play the latest games, it allows you to play all the old video games.
PROS:
High performance, long battery life, bright display with 1080pixels, affordable, slimmer than other models, fingerprint scanner, backlit keyboard
CONS:
It comes with a polycarbonate chassis, which makes the overall built quality questionable. Graphics are not very good, and one cannot expect to use high graphic games on this device.
2. Dell Inspiron 3593
Specifications for Dell Inspiron 3593
| CPU | 10th Gen Core i7-1135G7 Processor |
| RAM | 12GB |
| Storage | 256GB SSD |
| Display | 15.6-inch |
| Weight | 4.8 pounds |
| Battery life | Up to 5 hours |
| Graphics | Intel Iris Plus Graphics |
| Operating system | Windows 10 Home 64-bit OS |
The performance of this laptop is remarkable as it contains the latest processor and great RAM. Dell Inspiron is the best laptop in this range. The new windows 10 works with horse speed on the i7 quad-core processor. Dell Inspiron 3593 is a smooth working device that can handle multiple tabs at once, hence making it one of the fastest laptops under 500.
With a little bit of redesigning the machine is given a fresh look but somehow can be recognized as a cousin of the older versions. It has all sorts of ports and slots to allow smooth data transfer. Not just this, it has a battery time of up to 5 hours, which enables the user to back up all the necessary work before the device shuts down. It has a backlit LED anti-glare screen, which can allow the users to view a clear, bright screen even in sunlight.
PROS:
Anti-glare screen, High-performance processor, and RAM.
CONS:
The keypad is not backlit, less battery life, aesthetics resembles older versions.
3. Acer Aspire Flagship Premium Laptop
Specifications for Acer Aspire E15
| Processor Graphics | Intel Core i3 11th Gen, Intel UHD graphics |
| RAM | 4GB |
| Storage | 128GB SSD |
| Display | 15.6-inch |
| Weight | 4.19 pounds |
| Battery life | Up to 9 hours |
Aspire E15 is again a High-performance laptop with Intel i3-core. With multitasking capabilities and a 4GB RAM, the user can smoothly switch over the tabs while working. It has large built-in storage and allows the user to store data without the help of any other device.
This laptop contains built-in extra USB ports for effortless connectivity and data transfer. The 1080p display gives the user the best view at every angle. It is also suitable for light gaming. The overall performance, battery life, and hardware makes Acer Aspire E15 one of the best for college students.
PROS:
Good performance, built-in type C USB port, long battery life, massive storage, and keyboard is easy and comfortable to use.
CONS:
Not light in weight, Graphics are not enough to handle high level latest games.
4. Asus Vivo Book 15
Specifications for Asus Vivo Book 15
| Display | 15.6 inches |
| CPU | Intel i3-1115G4 core |
| GPU | Intel UHD Graphics 620 |
| RAM | 8GB |
| Storage | 128GB SSD |
| Weight | 3.75 pounds |
Just like other laptops in this list, Asus Vivo book 15 is capable enough to handle all the necessary office work and assignments. Multitasking is smooth with the high-performance processor, but the built-in storage is enough to store all the essential stuff only.
A significant advantage of this device is that it contains an inbuilt hinge, which gives it tilt while you are working. This tilt allows air to flow beneath and hence cool down the processor while you work, allowing you to work smoothly and prevent the processor from getting overheated. It has a backlit keyboard, all the necessary USB ports, and HDMI ports, and a 1080p display to ensure every requirement of the user fulfills.
As an advantage, it also has a built-in fingerprint scanner to make sure all your work stays secure. Overall, this is also a complete package and one of the best laptop under 500 for students. If you are searching for a more portable and flexible option with the same performance, you can try Asus Vivo book flex 14.
PROS:
Good performance, Built-in hinge to allow cooling of the processor, lightweight, fingerprint scanner, backlit keyboard, super slim structure.
CONS:
Dull display, low inbuilt storage, and cannot support the latest games which require good graphics.
5. HP Pavilion 15t
Specifications for HP Pavilion 15t
| CPU | Intel Core i5-1135G7 |
| RAM | 8GB |
| Storage | 256GB SSD |
| Graphics | Intel Iris Xe Graphics |
| Display | 15.6 Inch FHD antiglare, 1920 x 1080p |
| Operating System | Windows 10 |
| Battery life | Up to 10 Hours |
| Weight | 3.75 lbs |
This is probably the best touchscreen laptop in this price range. Its 8GB RAM and 10th generation quad-core processor allows the user to work smoothly without any delay. The graphics are not good enough to enable the latest PC games to run smoothly. But allow the user to do all the routine office or school work without any hesitation.
It has an inbuilt storage of 256GB and works just fine with windows 10 operating system. All the hardware specifications are quite energy-efficient; hence it requires less power to work and has a long battery life as well. The WLED backlit screen is best for outdoor use. This means that you can have a clear view during sunlight, and the screen won't get dull or dim.
If you are searching for a wider screen with the same powerful processing speed, HP-17 might be the best option in this price range.
PROS:
Touch screen, backlit screen, high-performance processor, long battery life, lightweight.
CONS:
Ordinary graphics.
6. HP 14
Specifications for HP 14
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 5 5500U |
| RAM | 8GB |
| Storage | 256GB |
| Graphics | AMD Radeon™ Graphics |
| Display | 14 Inch, 1920 x 1080p |
| Operating System | Windows 11 |
| Battery life | Up to 9 Hours |
HP 14 is one of the best cheap laptops in our list with a remarkable performance. It has a highly portable design and a light bodyweight. According to our testing method, this laptop performed pretty well. It is capable of handling 10 tabs and a YouTube video playback at once. The battery lasted more than 9 hours during video playback. Overall specifications are not as good as other laptops, but it is an ideal best buy option for college students who need to carry their laptop with them.
PROS:
Very long battery life, performance is compatible with other high-cost laptops, low cost, lightweight.
CONS:
Webcam results are not very good; the display resolution is quite low.
7. Lenovo Flex 5
Specifications for Lenovo Flex 5:
| CPU | Intel Core-i3-1115G4 |
| RAM | 8GB |
| Storage | 64GB |
| Graphics | Intel UHD |
| Display | 13.3 Inch, FHD 1920x1080p |
| Operating System | Chrome OS |
| Battery life | Up to 8 Hours |
| Weight | 2.98lbs |
This laptop has a superb display quality, which is the best part of the Lenovo Chromebook. The 1080pixels display gives a clear, bright view. It has quite a high-performance set of speakers, which, along with the bright display, gives the users a fantastic experience while watching movies.
Processor speed is super fast compared to other laptops under 500, but it has a pretty comfortable keyboard. Its battery life is not that long. Chromebook is one of the best convertible laptops under $500.
PROS:
Bright, clear display. The keyboard is comfortable to use. Performance is speedy for any task.
CONS:
Small screen. Average battery life.
8. Lenovo Ideapad 3
Specifications for Lenovo Ideapad 3:
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 5 5500U |
| RAM | 8GB |
| Storage | 256GB SSD |
| Graphics | AMD Radeon Vega 7 Graphics |
| Display | 14-Inch Full HD LED, 1080p |
| Operating System | Windows 11 |
| Battery life | Up to 8 Hours |
| Weight | 4.69 lbs |
The chassis for this is the same as other old versions of Lenovo Ideapad, but the hardware upgrade has created a niche. The increased configuration with six cores and 8GB RAM gives it an excellent performance. It is best for business-related work as it contains business-related applications and software with a free subscription. The SSD memory helps it to load files easily and quickly.
The viewing angles of Lenovo Ideapad are quite good, but it dulls out in sunlight. For movie fans, this laptop gives an out of the world sound experience with its Dolby speakers. With the best multitasking capabilities, this laptop seems to be the best laptop under 500 for business.
PROS:
Contains inbuilt business applications for free, High performance, Excellent speaker sound.
CONS:
Not portable as it is heavy. Average battery life
Conclusion
These are the set of laptops which we have collected based on best aesthetics, display, battery life, and processor speed. Despite several options, we have listed down the best and high in demand. Your choice for the best might differ according to your required specifications and needs.
Editor’s choice for best laptop under 500
We created a selection of the best laptops under $500 by testing a range of laptops through different parameters. We test the screen quality, performance, battery life, speaker performance, and cooling profile.
The best all-rounder in our list is HP Pavilion 15t. It has the latest processor and a big display. The weight is very less in comparison to other laptops, which makes it ideal for travelers. HP Pavilion 15t performs well while multitasking and gives good results with gaming as well. Best choices for laptops, according to different needs, are listed below:
| Catagory | Laptop name | Reviews |
| $500 college student laptop | HP Pavilion 15t | 4.5 |
| $500 travel laptops | Lenovo Flex 5 | 6 |
| under 500 best 2 in 1 laptop | Lenovo IdeaPad 3 | 4.5 |
| $500 HP laptop | HP 14 | 4.5 |
You can also see our guide to buying a laptop below. This gives you all the necessary information and type of specifications that you need in your laptop according to your work profile.
